Drywall Dilemna

Drywall, sheetrock, wallboard, whatever you call it, its all around you. We recently had an AC unit in the attic leak and cause major damage to the ceiling in our bathroom. Fortunately when the drywall fell through no one was underneath and it was in the bathroom which made cleanup much easier.

We know what Bob Vila has to say about drywall repair and here are some more resources for diagnosing and fixing your wallboard.

Drywall Patching [Popular Mechanics]
Replacing a Section of Drywall [Hammerzone]
Hanging Drywall on 10' Ceiling (w/one man) [Youtube]
Drywall Repair [Expert Village via Youtube]
Anatomy of a Wall [HomeTips]
Drywall Repair Clips [Rock-It Clip]

update: A regular visitor recently pointed out the need to distinguish between straight 'ol drywall and it's variations. You definitely need to choose the right material for the job, especially if you are working in a high moisture area such as the bathroom.

Greenboard (water-resistant drywall) is commonly used around bathtubs and shower ceilings. It costs slightly more than standard drywall and is installed the same way. The difference is it's water-resistant facing so moisture is less likely to penetrate and decay the wall. It's not waterproof so make sure your tile is properly sealed.

A better option behind tile and in the shower is concrete backerboard which has a solid concrete core and is reinforced with fiberglass mesh. We recommend you consider this type of drywall for any areas that get wet and save the greenboard for areas of high humidity.

Drywall also comes in varying degrees of fire-resistance. Beyond standard drywall which is naturally fire-resistant (made of rock and water) is Type X drywall that is infused with fiberglass and Type C which contains proprietary fire-resistant materials.